Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between business intelligence analysts and applications analysts can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a business intelligence analyst, becoming an applications analyst takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a business intelligence analyst has an average salary of $80,249, which is higher than the $80,144 average annual salary of an applications analyst.
The top three skills for a business intelligence analyst include business intelligence, analytics and power bi. The most important skills for an applications analyst are healthcare, customer service, and patients.
| Business Intelligence Analyst | Applications Analyst | |
| Yearly salary | $80,249 | $80,144 |
| Hourly rate | $38.58 | $38.53 |
| Growth rate | 21% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 124,916 | 110,833 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Average age | 44 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 6 |
The primary job of business intelligence (BI) analysts is to analyze data and identify areas of improvement for an organization. These professionals are responsible for identifying trends that may help managers, executives, and other departments make better decisions to improve company processes and modernization. Other duties include identifying areas of revenue loss and ways to maximize profit, analyzing competitors' use of BI, and implementing new methodologies and data analysis. This role is particularly analytical and needs a balance of communication, information technology, and problem-solving skills.
An applications analyst is an individual hired by a company to administer, monitor, and maintain all its software infrastructure and applications. Applications analysts must ensure the integrity and safety of all data and applications so that the company business can run smoothly and succeed. They are required to collaborate with applications developers and software engineers to provide a diagnosis of application errors and create long- and short-term resolutions. Applications analysts should also provide training and support of staff in using applications.
Business intelligence analysts and applications analysts have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Business Intelligence Analyst | Applications Analyst | |
| Average salary | $80,249 | $80,144 |
| Salary range | Between $59,000 And $107,000 | Between $58,000 And $109,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Hampshire | California |
| Best paying company | The Citadel | Ceridian |
| Best paying industry | Start-up | Retail |
There are a few differences between a business intelligence analyst and an applications analyst in terms of educational background:
| Business Intelligence Analyst | Applications Analyst | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between business intelligence analysts' and applications analysts' demographics:
| Business Intelligence Analyst | Applications Analyst | |
| Average age | 44 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 65.5% Female, 34.5% | Male, 55.4% Female, 44.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.2% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 8.8% Asian, 12.0% White, 67.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 10.3% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.0% Asian, 14.6% White, 58.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 8% |